 Hey Psych2Goers, thanks so much for your support, and let's begin the video. What do you think depression looks like? Like many others, you may think of people who always look sad, cry a lot, or who are never happy. But the truth is, there are a lot more layers to depression than you think. The American Psychiatric Association lists many different presentations of depression, each with its own symptoms and differences. Concealed or hidden depression is just one of them, and those who have it may be conditioned to act in protection of their symptoms. So to help you learn a little more about it, here are 11 things hidden depression makes you do. Before we begin, we would like to mention that this video is created for educational purposes only and is not intended to substitute a professional diagnosis. If you suspect you may have depression or any mental health condition, we highly advise you to seek help from a qualified mental health professional. With that said, let's begin. Number one, your sleeping pattern has changed. What time do you usually go to bed? A good and consistent sleeping pattern is very important and healthy for your mental and physical well-being. So having constant problems with sleep may point to a sign that something greater is wrong. A lack of sleep or constant oversleep can be a possible symptom of depression. These changes to your sleeping pattern can affect how you feel during the day, perhaps making you feel exhausted or tired all the time. Number two, your eating habits changed. Are you noticing that your eating habits have changed drastically compared to a little while ago? Oftentimes, food can act as a coping mechanism for those hiding their depression. Over-eating may help distract you from your own emotional emptiness and losing your appetite can also be indicative of a larger problem. There's a strong link between eating disorders and depression. And while there are two separate illnesses, having a sudden and large change in eating habits can be a cause for concern and point to a larger issue such as having hidden depression. Number three, you become self-critical. While perfectionism can cut the best of anyone, those struggling with hidden depression may take it to the next level and feel the need to do everything perfectly. This can lead to an excess of self-imposed pressure and standards that if missed or not met lead to self-deprecating thoughts and feelings of shame. These feelings might end up governing your internal choices and leave you unable to do simple activities or pursue casual relationships. Number four, you experience intense emotions. While people often assume that those with depression are always sad or upset, that's not always the case. While melancholy is a common feeling described, people with depression may also project or express how they feel in anger or irritability. These feelings may come from a frustration with needing to put up a good impression for everyone to see or from feeling confused and overwhelmed by the complex emotions they're experiencing. Number five, you struggle to express painful emotions. In contrast to the previous point, some people with hidden depression may form the habit to avoid or stand denial about their feelings. Instead, they may choose to find distractions to divert their mind elsewhere. According to Dr. Margaret R. Rutherford, people may actually end up finding it difficult and struggle to express how they feel because they avoid their emotions so often. Number six, you become obsessed with philosophy and purpose. Have you ever wondered what the meaning of life is? Sometimes, being depressed can make you feel like you're floating through life without direction. It might lead you to question what your purpose is or what you're meant to accomplish here on Earth. These questions about life and meaning can make you become more introspective and cause you to dive into studying big questions and philosophies to help you find meaning and purpose for your life. Number seven, you become uninterested in activities you used to enjoy. Another possible sign of depression is if you suddenly lose interest and joy in the things you used to like. Depression is not only mentally draining but physically as well. It can make it much more difficult and tiring to find the motivation or enthusiasm to accomplish tasks or do activities. Even if they were something you used to really enjoy. Number eight, you cry out for help and then make cover-up excuses. People who hide their depression often hide what they're feeling because they may struggle to admit that they have a problem. However, sometimes these feelings can become so overwhelming that you may turn to a friend or even reach out to a doctor for help. Unfortunately, like many others, you might then realize that taking these steps would mean admitting that you have depression, which is an extremely hard realization to come to. So instead, you might find yourself making up excuses and pulling yourself away from the help you wanted. Number nine, you struggle with intimacy. Similarly, with the previous viewpoints, feelings associated with care and intimacy may also be difficult for you if you are depressed. If you're hiding depression, the vulnerability that is associated with intimacy may be difficult for you to express. While you may find it easy to care for others, it can become much more overwhelming and tense when it comes to yourself and the relationships you have. There may be a fear of sharing your deepest feelings and emotions or the fear of having someone invalidate your feelings and proving your worst fear is correct. Number 10, you focus too much on having gratitude. Many people often mistake the idea of having gratitude to mean that you ignore the negative emotions you feel and only focus and appreciate the good things. This type of thinking can become harmful because you may end up invalidating, ignoring or feeling guilty about any negative emotions you feel. Instead, practicing gratitude involves reflecting, noting and appreciating the things that you may overlook in your daily life. It doesn't mean that you have to look at the good side of everything, especially if those things make you upset. And number 11, you compartmentalize your feelings. Lastly, having depression can make you form the habit of compartmentalizing your feelings. This means you rigidly sort them into boxes and push them away to deal with for later or maybe even never. By locking away your own negative feelings, you avoid ever addressing the pain or sadness you may be feeling. However, while it may bring temporary relief, it may also build up and become overwhelming later. Did you learn something new about hidden depression? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this video helpful, be sure to like and subscribe and share this video with those who might benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in our next video.